Cabinda, Cothran, Cothren, Haley and Hamilton to participate in Saturday’s East-West Shrine Game, Apke to play in Saturday’s NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and Allen, Campbell and Gesicki to partake in the Jan. 27 Senior Bowl

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. -
Nine Nittany Lion seniors will participate in a total of three post-season all-star games, beginning Saturday with the East-West Shrine Game and the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Jason Cabinda, Curtis Cothran, Parker Cothren, Grant Haley and DaeSean Hamilton will participate in the Shrine Game, which takes place St. Petersburg, Florida, while Troy Apke will play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Pasadena, California. Both games will take place Saturday, Jan. 20. Additionally, Marcus Allen, Christian Campbell and Mike Gesicki will participate in the Reese’s Senior Bowl Saturday, Jan. 27 in Mobile, Alabama.

Apke is the first in action when he plays on the National team in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, which airs live on FS1 Saturday at 1 p.m. from the Rose Bowl. All five Nittany Lions in the East-West Shrine Game will be on the East team, which airs live on the NFL Network Saturday at 3 p.m. from Tropicana Field.

The trio of Nittany Lions in the Reese’s Senior Bowl will be on the North team, which airs live on the NFL Network, Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2:30 p.m. from Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

The nine all-star participants are the most for the Nittany Lions since 2003 when nine student-athlete were in post-season games (five in the Senior Bowl and four in the Blue-Gray Game). The five East-West Shrine Game participants are the most for the Nittany Lions since 1955 when Don Bailey, Jim Garrity, Otto Kneidinger, Lenny Moore and Frank Reich participated.

Earned a spot on the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week on Oct. 24 after his showing vs. Michigan.

Named Co-Big Ten Player of the Week (Davis III, MSU) on Oct. 2 after his 9-catch, 122-yard, 3-touchdown performance vs. Indiana.

Earned Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week and Big Ten Team of the Week following his effort vs. Indiana (9/30), earning the highest position grade of any B1G offensive student-athlete that week.

Ranks tied for No. 25 in the FBS and No. 3 in the Big Ten in receiving touchdowns (9).

Ranks No. 68 in the FBS and No. 5 in the Big Ten in yards per reception (16.17).

Is No. 67 nationally and No. 6 in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (65.9).

Owns the Penn State single season record for touchdown catches for a tight end with seven in 2017.

Owns the single-season record for receptions by a tight end with 48 in 2016, passing Andrew Quarless (41; 2009), and yardage by a tight end at 679 in 2016, besting Mickey Shuler’s single-season record of 600 receiving yards (1977).

Earned Midseason All-America honors from Sports Illustrated.

Earned Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week honors on Sept. 12 after catching two touchdown passes vs. Pittsburgh.

Selected to the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week following his two-touchdown effort vs. Nebraska.

Caught a touchdown pass in five-straight games from Nov. 26, 2016-Sept. 9, 2017, including multiple touchdown grabs in the first two games of 2017.

Penn State season ticket renewals and Nittany Lion Club membership renewals also are underway for the 2018 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU. The ticket invoice and Nittany Lion Club renewal deadline is Feb. 1, 2018. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing new 2018 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.

More than 2,800 new season tickets have already been sold for the 2018 campaign.